On Tuesday, the House of Representatives will vote on the Pain-Capable Unborn Child Protection Act, a measure spearheaded by Reps. Trent Franks (R-AZ) and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) that would cut off legal access to abortion services at 20 weeks after fertilization. It represents the most restrictive abortion bill to come to a vote in either chamber over the past decade. Here\u2019s what you need to know about this attack on women\u2019s reproductive rights \u2014 and how it fits into a broader, coordinated nationwide campaign to slowly chip away at abortion access:<\/p>\n
It\u2019s based on the scientifically-disputed theory that fetuses can feel pain before the third trimester of pregnancy.<\/p>\n
So-called \u201cfetal pain\u201d measures are based on junk science that represents a minority position among medical professionals. Most doctors don\u2019t believe that fetuses can feel pain until much later in pregnancy, after the point of viability (generally considered to be around 24 weeks), and scientific research has repeatedly confirmed this position. Nevertheless, abortion opponents have successfully stoked emotional outrage surrounding later-term abortion \u2014 particularly following the high-profile murder trial of illegal abortion provider Kermit Gosnell \u2014 by twisting the facts to make it appear that these abortions are always barbaric procedures.<\/p>\n
It has sparked more controversy over Republicans\u2019 attitudes toward rape.<\/p>\n
The original version of Franks\u2019 legislation did not include an exception for victims of rape or incest. Defending the lack of an exception in these cases, the Arizona congressman last week claimed that \u201cthe incidence of rape resulting in pregnancy are very low.\u201d Franks is just the latest Republican to make an offensive comment about rape victims, and his comments inspired comparisons to former Rep. Todd Akin\u2019s (R-MO) infamous assertion that women don\u2019t often get pregnant from \u201clegitimate rape\u201d because the body \u201chas ways of shutting that whole thing down.\u201d Following the controversy that erupted from his statements, Franks revised the legislation at the last minute to include an exemption for survivors of rape and incest \u2014 but only if rape victims first report the sexual crime to the police, and if incest victims are minors.<\/p>\n